Back to school giveaways: a Hi-Five, a smile and some encouragement

Rick Christie, Palm Beach Post Editorial Page Editor (right), joined about 30 other professional men Monday to “Hi-Five” students at Westward Elementary School in West Palm Beach on the first day back to school. (Kristyn Wellesley, Palm Beach Post)

It’s 7:15 a.m. Monday in West Palm Beach.

The humidity is at about 100 percent and temperature is 80 degrees. And I’ve already started sweating.

Why am I standing outside Westward Elementary School with about three dozen mostly African-American professional men — lawyers, engineers, small business owners, etc.?

It’s the first day of the new school year! And we’re all here to applaud, cheer and “Hi-Five” kids as they walk onto campus Monday morning.

Any parent knows, every child needs encouragement to do well in school no matter their background. Even kids who were self-motivated, like my own three daughters, benefited greatly from the fact that their mom and I were always there supporting them.

For parents struggling to keep a roof over their heads and put food on their tables, there’s often not much left in the tank when it comes to words of support and encouragement.

That’s where the “Hi-Five” event, which has been building across the country for the last several years, comes in. Monday morning, diverse groups of men from various professional backgrounds were at various schools throughout Palm Beach County. Gatherings at the schools in West Palm Beach — including Westward, Belvedere and Northboro elementaries — were spearheaded by Commissioner Cory Neering.

Christie greets a Westward Elementary student with a “Hi-Five” as other applaud and cheer them on. (Kristyn Wellesley, Palm Beach Post.

It doesn’t sound like much. But watch a 6-year-old’s face suddenly light up when he or she sees a gauntlet of men applauding them, “hi-fiving” them and cheering them on to have a great school year.

Better yet, look at the parent walking them into school. The positive energy they get from knowing that some stranger cares about their child’s education gives them a boost too.

This is community engagement at its best… literally, hands-on (or up) and face-to-face.

But as Westward Elementary Principal Bobbie Brooks Jr. chided us, this is just one day.

“There are 182 days in the school year,” he said, thanking us with hugs and handshakes. “This is a community school. It takes a whole community to make it successful; so don’t let this be the only day you visit.”

Indeed.

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